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June 2020 BOTM #1 - Edgar Allan Poe
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Meeting ID: 2998752780
Password: 7pUZme"
Thank Sylvia for hosting this event. A lot of interesting comments. Enjoy Reading, 📚
This thread is still open for written discussions for all of those who did not attend the Zoom meeting. And - let's discuss the difference between the original version of the story and the abridged copy that I provided. Here is a link the original story: https://poestories.com/read/blackcat
Thanks for setting up the zoom meeting Syvia, it was very enjoyable and not nearly as nerve wracking or difficult as I anticipated.I read the original version as I own the complete Tales and Poems. Just looked at the original link and would encourage people to read the original. For one thing the story that was linked was not just shortened but changed, as to the particulars surrounding the attack on Pluto and gives a different view of the event.
Connie wrote: "Thanks for setting up the zoom meeting Syvia, it was very enjoyable and not nearly as nerve wracking or difficult as I anticipated.I read the original version as I own the complete Tales and Poem..."
I completely agree. I read the original from my copy of the Complete Tales & Poems, then read the abridged version. You get the same tone in certain sections but its lacking as a whole in comparison to the original.
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I just read the original Poe story and what struck me most was the narrator’s eloquent way of speaking about such dastardly deeds! He abuses his wife but describes it as offering her personal violence. Wow, what a polite way to say that you beat someone.
And his mentions of his drinking and visiting more and more reprehensible locales are just casually offered as an aside when those visits are actually the cause of all the terrible things he does and could use some more attention in this retelling. The narrator never offers a reason as to why he is drinking so much. Is it just an addiction or is there something else going on in his life that is driving him to drink? So much more information could have been given, so the way that the narrator chooses to recount his crime adds to the disturbing nature of the whole affair which was a great choice by Poe.
And his mentions of his drinking and visiting more and more reprehensible locales are just casually offered as an aside when those visits are actually the cause of all the terrible things he does and could use some more attention in this retelling. The narrator never offers a reason as to why he is drinking so much. Is it just an addiction or is there something else going on in his life that is driving him to drink? So much more information could have been given, so the way that the narrator chooses to recount his crime adds to the disturbing nature of the whole affair which was a great choice by Poe.
"The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe
https://americanenglish.state.gov/fil...
Feel free to post about this classic short story as we have always done in the group. But I also wanted to add something new. I thought we could try a virtual discussion using Zoom. In fact, I thought we could read one short story a week and then end the week with a virtual dicussion on Sunday. We will start with the 'The Black Cat' and see how it goes.
https://www.goodreads.com/event/show/...